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a glance and then dropped her eyes to her work. "Yes?" she said encouragingly while she lifted her needle again. |
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"My father was one of the warders of Lord Arthur." |
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"My God!" Alinor exclaimed, dropping her needle. "Holy Mother Mary, be merciful." |
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King Richard had had a clear claim to the throne of England, but the succession after him was not so plain. Between Richard and John there had been another brother, Geoffrey. Geoffrey had died many years past, but before he died he had married and produced two legitimate childrenArthur and Eleanor. By the strict rule of primogeniture, Arthur should have sat on the throne of England. But Arthur was only 12 years old When King Richard died, and Richard had clearly named John as his heir. |
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Although John was not well-loved, his treacherous character already being uncomfortably well known, the barons had nevertheless opted for him. It was better, William of Pembroke said, to deal with the devil than to have continual, unremitting civil war. No one pretended that John would have accepted Arthur as king. He would have gathered every malcontent in England and on the continent and fought for the throne. John was no great military genius, but his half-brother Salisbury was a very competent general indeed. Possibly John, even with Salisbury supporting him, would have been beaten, but that would not stop him. Like the heads of the Hydra, he would breed two more rebellions for every one that was cut off. |
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One of John's first acts as king was to attack the stronghold in which Arthur was lodged and take the boy prisoner. That John's attack was unprovoked did not disturb his barons. It was, they believed, a most reasonable move to ensure the peace of the kingdom. Doubtless, had John not taken him, Arthur would have fled to King Philip of France, and that would also have ended in civil war. |
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Had old King Henry taken Arthur prisoner, he would |
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